Forums/OMN PC Forum/Questions and Answers
Which upgrade is right for me?
ed marriage
asked this on April 27, 2012 13:07
Which upgrade is right for me?
This guide should help you decide on the best upgrade option for you.
To decide on the best option, it will help to ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I need the Pro version of OMN for PC or the free version
- Do I have maps bought before 2012 and if so, do I want to update them to new ones or carry on using them?
- Which platforms will I want to use (PC, Android, iPhone)?
Keep these questions in mind and read through the following and it should help you decide which upgrade is best for you.
Do you need the Pro version of OMN for PC or the Free version?
The Free version is suitable for most regular users whereas the Pro version is better for more advanced users or those with special requirements.
If you can answer yes to *all* of the following then Free is right for you:
- Mostly plot and print shorter single-day routes
- Do not have a handheld GPS device
- Do not need the 3D or Split-screen facilities
- Do not need to print in A3
- Only print maps in their native scale (e.g. 1:50,000 maps are printed at 1:50,000 scale)
If you answer yes to *any* of the following, then Pro is right for you:
- Often plan longer, multi-leg routes or expeditions
- Use a handheld GPS device
- Would like the 3D and Split-screen facilities
- Would like to print in A3
- Would like to change the scale or zoom level at which maps are printed
Please note: You just upgrade the software to Pro not individual maps. So you upgrade once to Pro and it last forever and covers all of your maps or you can upgrade to Pro at a later date and all your maps will still work.
Do you have Anquet v06 maps bought before 2012?
Any v06 maps bought since the beginning of 2012 (be they on disk or by download) can be downloaded in the OMN format without any additional plug-ins or upgrades. All you need to do is first convert any v06 disks into downloads and then re-download your maps in OMN for PC and or OMN for Android.
If you have maps that were bought before 2012 you can:
a) Trade in your old maps and get a 50% discount on the new 2012 equivalents which will then work in OMN
(Better for small map libraries or maps that need updating anyway)
When you trade in an old map, you get a 50% discount off the current retail price of the new map. So for instance, if you would like to trade in a Great Britain South 50K the cost will be £79 / 2 = £39.50
This will give you a brand new map that you can download into OMN for PC and / or OMN for Android
So if you're ready to update your maps to new versions or the cost of buying new maps is less than the cost of the v06 Map Reader Plug-in (see below), then trading in old maps for new maps might be a better option.
If you’d like to trade in your old maps, please click Submit Ticket above or email us at support@anquet.com and let us know which maps you’re interested in updating and we’ll give you a quote along with instructions on what to do.
b) Convert your old maps into OMN compatible downloads with a v06 Map Reader Plug-in
(Better for large map libraries that don’t require updating)
If your v06 maps were bought before 2012 and you’d like to use the same maps in an OMN for PC and / or OMN for Android, you’ll need one or more v06 Map Reader Plug-ins.
The v06 PC Map Reader Plug-in converts your Pre 2012 v06 maps to OMN for PC downloads. It works with disks and downloads and costs £30 and is available now.
The v06 Android Map Reader Plug-in converts your Pre 2012 v06 map downloads to OMN for Android downloads. It does NOT convert v06 disks to downloads. It will be available when OMN for Android launches and is expected to cost £10 (TBC)
The Early Bird Pro Upgrade includes v06 PC Map Reader Plugin, v06 Android Map Reader Plugin and the Pro version of OMN for PC for £50.
The v06 Map Reader Plugins convert all of your v06 maps no matter how many you have or how old they are. So if you have a large library of maps which you are not ready to update, v06 Map Reader Plugins are a better option.
What about OMN for iPhone?
Because Apple control the distribution of iPhone apps through the App Store, we need to have the app approved for distribution by Apple before we can say definitively how things will work with your v06 maps. We expect OMN for iPhone will work exactly as described for OMN for Android but until we get the final all clear from Apple we cannot give a 100% commitment. If you’re an iPhone user and you’re not taken with any of the upgrades as described above, your best bet is to hold on for a little while longer.
Putting it all together
The table below shows you what each of the upgrade options gives you. Hopefully you can now pick the one that suits your needs best.
If you're still not so sure, you can always give us a call on 0207 099 5260 (normal office hours) and we’ll be happy to advise
When you’ve made your choice, this post shows you how to download your upgrade.
| OMN for PC Pro Upgrade | v06 PC Map Reader Plug-in | v06 Android Map Reader Plug-in (not available yet) | Early Bird Pro Upgrade | Map update | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price |
£40 |
£30 |
£10 (TBC) |
£50 |
Trade in old maps to save 50% off new maps |
| Includes OMN for PC Pro version |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Converts pre 2012 v06 disks to OMN downloads |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes - because you’ve updated them to new maps |
| Use pre 2012 v06 maps in OMN for PC |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes - because you’ve updated them to new maps |
| Use pre 2012 maps in OMN for Android |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes - because you’ve updated them to new maps |
Comments
I already plan multi-day routes. I have a hand-held GPS device. I already use 3D and split-screen facilities. I can already change the scale or zoom level at which I print my maps. All with Anquet 6.0.
So why do I want to pay extra to upgrade? Print on A3? I think not.
Give us some better reasons.
I don't get it? Anquet 6.0 may be a bit clunky but it gets the job done. The upgrade should be priced to attract buyers. How about £15, not £50!
Hi Ray
Thanks for your comments.
V06 certainly still does get the job done. It’s a group test-winning product with many many thousands of happy customers. I wouldn’t describe it as clunky but I am biased of course! But you’re right, it is certainly still very capable – a very good product that’s stood the test of time extremely well.
But technology moves on of course. We built Anquet v06 six or seven years ago way before Windows 7 and 8, Android or iPhone, before broadband was common place, before cloud computing, before the App stores. And, before computers and phones were capable of handling graphics in the way they do now. It’s been an 18-24 month investment from us and with the OMN family we believe we have designed and built some great new products, from the ground up, which make the best use of the new technologies that simply didn’t exist when we built v06.
At £30 or £50 we hope the upgrade paths represent good value because they give customers the option of using their existing map libraries in these brand new products. If, say you have £200 or £300 worth of OS maps, which you’ve been using for 4 or 5 years in Anquet v06, £30 or £50 to be able to use those same maps in the very latest tech, perhaps for another 4 or 5 years represents very good value we hope.
Hi Colin
Thanks for your comments.
You raise a good point. We don’t spell out the reasons why someone might want to part with their hard earned money to upgrade from Anquet v06 to OMN in the above post. The post is more about explaining the upgrade options for those that have decided to upgrade.
But, in very brief terms, here are the key reasons why someone might want to upgrade from Anquet v06 to OMN for PC:
New graphics and route drawing tech which means maps scroll faster and routes draw more quickly.
Smooth zoom to any level, so that you can adjust the zoom gradually to any level rather than to pre-set levels
New 3D tech which makes for faster and smoother 3D mapping
And A3 printing as you say
The best bet is to give OMN a whirl for yourself and see how you like it. If you prefer it and think you might want to make use of your pre-2012 v06 maps in OMN the above post explains a few ways you can do it.
Anyway, hope this helps and thanks for your feedback.
Another confused long-term Anquet user here...
The way I'm reading this is that if I want to use OMN for Android, I need to pay £10 for the App, then £50 for the Early Bird Pro Upgrade (which includes the converter). However, the maps I convert will still be the old v06 data, yet the Android App can access new data? Or is it still the old data? And where does it get this data? If it is from "the Cloud" then the map data I currently have needs to be uploaded to the Anquet servers. That's going to be a pretty major upload given I have the whole UK at 1:50k plus various 1:25k sections and some historical mapping.
Furthermore, if I want up-to-date mapping plus OMN, plus the Android App, I'm looking at something in the region of £150. Sorry, but for that reason, I'm out. The competition for Anquet has moved on in the intervening years and both 1:50k and 1:25k mapping is much more widely/freely available.
I agree with previous posts - not good value in my mind. Maybe in a few years time but for the present, v06 aint broke yet and I therefore have no desire to fix it.
Hi Colin (Cadden)
To put your mind at rest, it’s not going cost you anywhere close to £150 for you to use your pre 2012 maps in OMN for Android and there’s no uploading to be done.
Here’s a note to hopefully clarify…
Any new maps (2012 and beyond) work in OMN for Android and OMN for PC. So if you trade in your old maps and get new ones, you won’t need anything else. When you trade in your old maps, you get a 50% discount off the new ones. So for instance a 1:50,000 map of Wales would be £15 / 2 = £7.50 and you can use that map in OMN for PC and in OMN for Android. (There are other examples above).
If you have some pre 2012 v06 maps as downloads and you would like to use them just in OMN for Android, all you need is the v06 Android Map Reader Plug-in (not available yet, £10 TBC) and the app itself. It doesn’t matter how many maps you have – it’s a flat one off fee.
If your maps are on disk, it’s a bit more complicated because currently the only way to get the maps onto your Android phone is by downloading them directly from Anquet Cloud. To do this, you’ll need the v06 PC Map Reader Plug-in. This lets you use your maps in OMN for PC and converts your disks to downloads. There’s no upload involved. You put the disk in and it reads the licence code and puts the data on your account as a download. The cost of the v06 PC Map Reader is £30. Again it doesn’t matter how many maps you have – it’s a flat one off fee.
So to sum up…
50% discount off of new maps and you can use them in OMN for PC and OMN for Android
£10 (TBC) lets you use your pre 2012 maps downloads in OMN for Android (v06 Android Map Reader Plug-in)
£30 lets you use your pre 2012 maps in OMN for PC and converts your disks into downloads and puts them in Anquet Cloud (v06 PC Map Reader Plug-in)
Finally the v06 Early Bird Pro Upgrade includes the v06 Android Map Reader Plug-in, v06 PC Map Reader Plug-in and the Pro OMN for PC for £50.
With regard to the general cost of OS map, we like everyone else are bound by OS licences and their royalty charges. The specific licences we provision your maps under allow for maps to be used offline (i.e. kept locally on your device) so that you can use them without a data connection which is of course vital if you want to go anywhere (other than a coffee shop). There is no other legal way of having your OS maps stored on your device.
Hope the above helps.
Hi Geoffrey
I certainly agree, v06 isn’t broken. As I said in the post above, it’s a group-test winning product. But that’s not to say that OMN is no improvement and technology has moved on a great deal in 6 or 7 years since v06.
If you’re the type of person that will want to make use of the extra platforms that the OMN family of products bring or use Anquet Cloud to store and sync user data, or want faster maps, etc, etc … then the upgrades are going to be good value for you.
If, on the other hand, v06 does everything you need it to do for now then you can carry on using it secure in the knowledge that any maps you go on to buy will automatically work in OMN too. So, if a little way down the road, you decide that you want to use OMN, the maps you may have bought in the intervening period will be compatible and you won’t need to upgrade them.
It’s really down to personal choice. The upgrades are good value for those who are ready to make the switch. If you’re happy with v06 you can carry on with it knowing that we’ll support it and knowing that the maps you buy will work in OMN too.
I'm still confused! I bought the £50 upgrade. I have a pre 2012 Great Britain North DvD. Do I have to pay more money (the so called trade-in) for the maps I already have or does the £50 package do all of that for me? If I have to pay extra for these new maps can I get a refund of the £50 because I totally misunderstood the package description.
@ David Jack
To put your mind at rest, no you don't need to pay more money. The £50 Early Bird Upgrade is all you need. Trading in your old maps for new ones is an alternative to the Early Bird Upgrade.
I have the OMN free and have downloaded 1:25,000 maps, but don't get any height information on route profiles. Does this need Pro version? It is not stated clearly in your notes above.
Start Map Manager and on the My Maps tab look for the entry for 'Anquet Essential Great Britain'.
Make sure this is entirely downloaded as it contains the Detailed Gazetteer, Height Data and GB Overview map for the whole country.
Thanks - that works fine.
You might make this clear in your help files.